PathWays PA Policy Blog

CityHealth has published a national report offering the first-ever assessment of how our nation’s 40 largest cities fare when it comes to policies that can make real, lasting impacts in people’s everyday quality of life. All recommendations are based in evidence, backed by experts, and have a track record of bipartisan support. Philadelphia received an overall silver medal for its health policy decisions including paid sick days and universal pre-k. You can see the full list of cities here and look to see where Philadelphia can improve to earn a gold medal.

Pay discrimination is an ongoing issue for Pennsylvania’s women . At the current rate of wage growth, it will take another 40 years ( at least ) before women and men earn the same amount. One step in addressing wage inequality is ensuring that a history of low salaries does not follow a woman into a new workplace. Women’s wages are lower than men’s from the first year out of college . At that point, women working full time earn an average of $35,296 while men earn $42,918. These lower wages are compounded when women (or men of color) apply for new jobs and are asked to share their pay history. Instead of starting the new job on an equal footing, they enter with a lower salary because it was based on their previous employment. Then, after another year of work, their wages are unlikely to grow at the same rate as men’s wages. As women get older, the wage gap continues to grow . If employers stop asking for salary histories, workers will gain the ability to earn what their work is a...

Philadelphia is home to many culturally rich museums that can help broaden the minds of Philly teens. Instead of going to see a movie or heading to the mall, what if teens went to a fun place that is also educational? What if they could visit those places free of charge? With the STAMP (Students at Museums in Philly) Pass, they can! The only criteria for the pass is that users are between the ages of 14 and 19 and live in the Philadelphia area. The pass is applicable at 12 locations, including the Franklin Institute, Eastern State Penitentiary, and the Philadelphia Zoo! Interested in PathWays PA posts on similar topics? 7/28/15 Give Kids Sight Day   7/15/15 ConnectHome: New High Speed Broadband Initiative Coming to Philadelphia  7/7/15 Summer Food News

On October 24th, 2015 children without eye care insurance will be able to be fitted for eyeglasses at a reduced or no price! The event will take place at WillsEye Hospital, located at 840 Walnut St. Philadelphia, PA. Any child 18 years or younger is eligible for care. Insured children can also receive take part in this event. This event was started by PCCY, or Public Citizens for Children and Youth. Nearly 2/3 of children in Philadelphia’s school districts who fail an eye exam do not get follow up care. With the help of Wills Eye Hospital, Visionworks, Eagles Youth Partnership, Jefferson University Medical College and First Hospital Foundation, PCCY has been able to fit 5,500 children with eyeglasses since 2009.  If you are interested in your child participating in this event contact 215-563-5848 x17 or email helpline@pccy.org. If you are interested in volunteering, call 215-563-5848 or email gksd@pccy.org. Interested in PathWays Pa blog posts on similar topics?  7/15...

Pope Francis’ September visit to Philadelphia has spurred the creation of the Francis Fund in association with Project HOME and the World Meeting of Families Hunger and Homelessness Committee. Headed by sister Mary Scullion, the project has pledged to aid 50 human service organizations. Among the organizations receiving grants so far are Philly Restart, Women Against Abuse, Coalition Against Hunger, and Pathways to Housing PA . It is estimated that 650 homeless will be on the streets of Philadelphia. This number does not including those who have sought shelter. The organization has plans to eradicate this homelessness and hunger, along with stopping human trafficking and domestic violence. Want to donate or learn how to apply for the funding? Visit projecthome.org for more. Interested in PathWays PA blog posts on similar topics? 7/7/15 - Summer Food News 6/26/15 - New and Improved? House Bill 222 Remains Cruel 11/20/14 - Runaway Services at PathWays PA and Beyond

The Managing Director's Office has just released the paid sick days poster that must be shown at all workplaces in the city of Philadelphia beginning on May 13, 2015. You can download your copy  here. You can also download more materials about the earned sick days law from The Coalition for Healthy Families and Workplaces  FAQ page. If you have questions about earned sick days, contact the coalition at  earnedsickdays@gmail.com  or contact the city at  paidsickleave@phila.gov . For all information, please keep in mind that it is correct to the best of our knowledge, but it is not exhaustive and should not be taken as legal advice. It is possible that additional provisions or rules from the law, not described here, may apply to your specific circumstances. The City of Philadelphia is responsible for regulating and enforcing this law, and will make final decisions on its interpretation. Interested in PathWays PA blog posts on similar topics? 2/13/15 - W...

It's been a long road, but together, we did it. Yesterday morning, Philadelphia City Council passed an earned sick days bill with a vote of 14-2. And this afternoon, Mayor Nutter signed it into law. Philadelphia is now the 17th city to pass earned sick days. Thanks to your hard work and dedication, 200,000 workers will be able to start earning the time they need to care for the families they love. Please take a moment to share your support for earned sick days using social media with the hashtag # PHLSickDays . And then take one more moment to  thank  the Councilmembers who voted yes and the Mayor who signed it into law. We are looking forward to working with you as the new bill rolls out. Please keep an eye on  www.phillyearnedsickdays.com  and let us know how you think people can learn more about the bill by emailing us at  policy@pathwayspa.org . Interested in PathWays PA blog posts on similar topics? 2/12/15 - Join Us for the #PHLSickDays Vote...

This is the last morning people in Philadelphia will wake up without a #PHLSickDays law on the books. Join us at City Hall starting at 9:45 for our press conference followed by the City Council session. If you can't be there in person, you can listen to the Council session on 900 WURD or watch at  http://vp.telvue.com/preview?id=T01340&video=40960 . Thank you to everyone who made today possible! Check back on Twitter at @Earnedsicktime for updates throughout the day! Interested in PathWays PA blog posts on similar topics? 2/3/15 - Ahead of City Council Hearing, Philly Working Families, Business Owners Call for Passage of Earned Sick Days Law 2/2/15 - Join Us for a Hearing on Earned Sick Days at City Hall! 1/23/15 - NEW DATE! Join us on February 3 for the Hearing on Earned Sick Days in City Council!

Ahead of City Council Hearing, Philly Working Families, Business Owners Call for Passage of Earned Sick Days Law Comes on the Heels of President’s State of the Union Call for Cities and States to Take Action on Paid Sick Days Philadelphia, PA – Philadelphia working families, business owners, advocates and experts urged the City Council to pass a paid sick days bill to ensure Philadelphia workers can succeed as caregivers and providers ahead of a Public Health and Human Services Committee hearing . This comes on the heels of President Obama’s State of the Union call for cities and states to take action on paid sick days. “The City Council has an important opportunity to heed President Obama’s call and pass an earned sick days law to help Philadelphians succeed as caregivers and providers,” said Marianne Bellesorte, Vice President of Policy, Strategy, and Communications at PathWays PA and a leader of the Coalition for Healthy Families and Workplaces. “Passing this bill is not ju...

Thank you for your support for earned sick days in Philadelphia. We need your support now, more than ever, to ensure City Council sees the overwhelming support for earned sick time. Please help us by encouraging your networks to attend the upcoming hearing: Tuesday, February 3 at 11:30 AM Room 400, Philadelphia City Hall A strong presence will help make earned sick days a reality for nearly 200,000 Philadelphians! Sample social media posts to reach out to your online audiences can be found at: http://www.phillyearnedsickdays.com/p/sample-social-media.html . Additional resources can be found at:  http://www.phillyearnedsickdays.com/ . If you have any questions, please contact  policy@pathwayspa.org . We look forward to seeing you on Feb. 3. Interested in PathWays PA blog posts on similar topics? 1/23/15 - NEW DATE! Join us on February 3 for the Hearing on Earned Sick Days in City Council! 9/8/14 - Guess What, Moms? You Can Pump at Work in Philadephia 4/3/14...

UPDATED: Due to the snow, the hearing has been moved to February 3 at 11:30 AM. Do workers deserve Paid Sick Time? YES THEY DO! Join us  February 3  and let your voice be heard on the Earned Sick Time bill, a bill that would affect 120,000 workers in Philadelphia. 40% of Philadelphia workers do not receive earned sick days, and 120,000 people would receive the benefits if this law were to pass. Council needs to hear from you! Join us to send the message clear and strong, the time for earned sick days is now! Let us know that you are attending by signing up on Facebook today!  https://www.facebook.com/events/1538444993097648/?source=1 ¿Piensas que los trabajadores deben recibir tiempo pagado por enfermedad en sus trabajo? CLARO QUE SI! Únase con nosotros el 3 de febrero para que su voz sea oída en la propuesta de ley para dias de enfermedad pagados, una propuesta ley que afectaría a 120.000 trabajadores en Filadelfia. 40% de los trabajadores de Filadelfia no...

On September 3, Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter signed legislation ensuring that mothers working in the city will now have access to reasonable accommodation when it comes to expressing breast milk. The bill, which takes effect immediately, means that mothers must have access to unpaid break time or be able to use paid time in order to express milk. They must also have access to a safe, sanitary place to do so - and that place cannot be a bathroom. The new legislation is part of the Fair Practices Ordinance, which is enforced by the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations. To learn more, please visit their website , or call 215-686-4670. Interested in PathWays PA blog posts on similar topics? 5/29/14 - Support Health Care for Military Women and Military Families 4/25/14 -Ask the Senate to Co-sponsor the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act! 4/3/14 - Philadelphia Pregnancy Accommodations Law is Going Into Effect 

The latest change to the Fair Practices Ordinance in Philadelphia is a win for PathWays PA, the Coalition for Healthy Families and Workplaces, and of course for pregnant women working in Philadelphia. Under the additional legislation, which was signed by Mayor Nutter in January 2014, employees who are pregnant or recently gave birth can ask for reasonable workplace accommodations without fear of losing their jobs. Under the law, those requests might include asking for bathroom or rest breaks, access to water, assistance lifting items or re-assignment with manual labor duties, for example. Employers in Philadelphia are required to post notification of the law by April 20 . The Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations has issued a poster   that offers a plain-language explanation of the law. A downloadable electronic copy of the poster is available on the PCHR web site . Hard copies are available at the PCHR office and area chambers of commerce also have agreed to help their ...

From our friends at the Rittenhouse Square Flower Market The Rittenhouse Square Flower Market for Children's Charities is celebrating "A Century of Helping Philly Love Kids." On March 12 at the Philadelphia City Institute Library (located at 19th and Locust Street in Philadelphia) from 6:00PM to 8:00PM, the Flower Market will host an anti-bullying event that is free and open to the public. The interactive event will involve the audience and feature current and former children's charity beneficiaries, focusing on the problem of bullying and solutions. Groups participating include : Julie Rausch, MSS, MLSP, Executive Director-Anti-violence Partnership of Philadelphia Kelly Kroehle, MSW, Director of the Bryson Institute-The Attic Youth Center  Francine A. Williams, MHS, Ph.D,Supervisor of Street Outreach Program for Youth Emergency Service-Youth Service Inc.  Seating is limited, please RSVP to bpommisc@aol.com or 215-668-2941

From our friends at Women's Law Project In Philadelphia, it is now unlawful for an employer to deny a pregnant employee access to water, bathroom breaks, or any other reasonable accommodation that does not present an undue hardship to the employer. On January 20, 2014, Mayor Nutter signed into law an amendment to the Philadelphia Fair Practices Ordinance that makes it an unlawful employment practice for an employer to fail to provide reasonable accommodations to employees for needs related to pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions. It is enforced by the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations.

The People's Emergency Center (PEC), an organization that serves homeless families in West Philadelphia, will be holding a series of public policy forums to bring together various communities to discuss and solve problems. Forum on New Research on Family and Child Homelessness -  The SHiFT Study  Thursday, September 26, 2013, 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM  United Way of Greater Philadelphia & Southern New Jersey 1709 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia Click here for more information.  Forum & Advocacy in Harrisburg  Wednesday, October 2nd, 10:30 am - 3:00 pm  Temple University (Across the Street from the Capitol) 234 Strawberry Square, Harrisburg, PA 17101. Click here for more information. Sounding the Horn: A Crossfire Discussion on Educational Outcomes  Wednesday October 16, 2013, 6pm - 8:30pm  The Comcast Center, 45th Floor 1701 JFK Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19103 Click here for more information.

Women Against Abuse is excited to announce its 6th Annual iPledge Campaign, a citywide social awareness movement that calls on ordinary Philadelphians to get involved in speaking out against domestic violence. The campaign will launch on October 1 at noon in Love Park with a press conference to mark the beginning of Domestic Violence Awareness Month in Philadelphia. Visit the iPledge website to learn more and get information on the upcoming walk to end domestic violence on October 26 hosted by State Senator LeAnna Washington!

Generocity is excited to be a coalition partner for this year's reGenerate Philly Summit, hosted by Mobilize.org . This collaboration is directly in line with their mission to equip citizens, in this case specifically millennials, to be innovative and engaged in the future of Philadelphia. The reGenerate summit will be held in September, but applications are open to any millennial in the Philadelphia area to submit their ideas to give the local economy a kickstart. The winning proposals will receive a share of the $25,000 investment from Mobilize.org to get their project going. Make sure you get your application in; the priority deadline is August 7th.

Tomorrow will mark the 4th year without a raise in the minimum wage and over 21 years without an increase in the tipped minimum wage. In continued efforts for family sustaining jobs, ROCunited , an organization that advocates for restaurant workers, wants to call attention to the out-of-date minimum and tipped minimum wages. There will be an action event at a nearby business in Center City beginning at 1:30PM. Participants are asked to RSVP and meet at City Hall on the S. Broad St. side by the 6ft tall neon green birthday card at 1PM. Please RSVP here , email sheila@rocunited.org or call (215) 867-9747. Sign-Up for Our Monday ENewsletter to receive more stories!

Philly311 has released a new widget, called Language Assistance, which will help non-English speaking residents learn about language services and community resources through the Philly311 Mobile App. In addition to English, information on language assistance is now available in the five most requested languages: Spanish, Korean, Russian, Chinese (Traditional) and Vietnamese. Citizens can also request information in other languages through the widget. The Philly311 Mobile App is available for download in the iPhone, Android, or Blackberry App Stores.